Rock and Gem: The Definitive Guide to Rocks, Minerals, Gemstones, and Fossils

I'm a retired field geologist, with broad grad-school exposure to the earth sciences. Along the way, I was reference staff in a respected university's advanced research earth sciences library. I've seen several highly-regarded, public and private rock and mineral collections. I've seen many minerals in-situ, in their native rock environment. I have considerable optical mineralogy and petrographic experience. However, I'm not a rock hound, nor a rock or gem collector. I appreciated that a mineral specimen or crystal was at home when I encountered in nature, so I typically took only photos and left well enough alone. That said, this book is a great deal as a coffee-table book. It's content shows the quality that's generally associated with the Smithsonian Institution, with good quality photographs and adult-level textual content. I wasn't super-sold by the sample photos for the book's product page, so I played it safe and purchased the paperback edition, new, at what turns out to be really good price. However, if I had been able to encounter this book in a bookstore--in hardback, I would've paid at least $60 and felt very smug about a good deal. Whichever edition, this is a quality, comprehensive presentation of physical geology, and rocks and minerals. Most comparable earth science books are not as economically priced. It's a well done tour de force on rocks and gems.

This book is packed with images and variations and very useful details. I use it as a reference for crystal healing and identifying stones.

This book is excellent, informative and has beautiful pictures. Very pleased!

I just love this! It's an outstanding book! It has beautiful color photos, with well written information about the rocks, gems, fossils and minerals shown on the pages. On every page it lists the properties of each specimin. A must for all Rockhounds! The first section is called Origins which includes THE FORMATION OF THE UNIVERSE, THE FORMATION OF THE EARTH and EARTH'S CRUST. Next is a section on COLLECTING ROCKS AND MINERALS. The rest of the book is information on ROCKS, MINERALS and FOSSILS. I have several books on this subject and I must say this is my favorite. I could look through it for hours, actually I have. Excellent quick reference book and a great coffee table book.

I was hoping this book would serve me well for identifying rocks but it’s really more about learning interesting facts about rocks. Many photos are of the rocks in historical artifacts or jewelry which is not super helpful when trying to identify rocks from the field. For example, the rocks are not sorted by the part of the world where they may be found or by color. It still has a wealth of information but not quite what I was looking for originally.

When I got the book I thought it would be too serious for newbie like me. I was going to return it . Somehow I started to read the first few pages on the big bang theory and the formation of the universe and the earth and I enjoyed it a lot. I kept the book. It is a good reference book with many nicely printed pictures.

Wonderful discoveries in gems. A must have book!

Great pictures and many different rocks gems and minerals described in this book. A perfect basic guide to rocks and gems. I highly recommend.

Excelente libro

Great Book with amazing pictures.

Preso per un esame universitario molto specifico, è però un libro molto bello e dalla composizione attraente. Riporta tutte le notizie essenziali e al tempo stesso ha delle bellissime immagini. Consigliabilissimo!

Very nice book

Excellent description of rocks and minerals, the stuff the Earth is made of, thus giving a better understanding to crystals and gems. Plenty of illustrations, uses, stories about gems and minerals.